Last updated: February 27, 2024
Place
Cumberland Gap Pinnacle Overlook
NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
Middlesboro, KY
Significance:
Overlook
Designation:
Historic Register
Amenities
7 listed
Accessible Sites, Parking - Auto, Pets Allowed, Picnic Table, Restroom - Seasonal, Trailhead, Wheelchair Accessible
A short drive from the main visitor center in Middlesboro, Ky lies this scenic overlook. As you approach the Pinnacle from the parking lot, you park in Kentucky and walk into Virginia before reaching the overlook. Known as the Pinnacle, locals have used that name for generations, dating back to the early 1800s.The Pinnacle saw bison pass through the valley below through the Cumberland Gap. It was a place where thousands of people passed by on their way through the Gap. First, Native Americans like the Cherokee and Shawnee used the gap to journey to hunting grounds, build new settlements, trade, and war. Later, colonists went through the Gap heading west to build a new life. The Pinnacle was also crucial during the civil war. Fortifcations lined the mountain not far from this peak with cannons pointing at the valley below the mountain. According to legend, Confederate soldiers tossed their cannons into the valley before retreating to the south.
While the Pinnacle has much history, many visitors come to see it today for its scenic views. Looking to the right or west, one will see the town of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Middlesboro lies in the center of a crater, created by meteor crashing into spot millions of years ago. If one follows the path to the left of Middlesboro, you will see the Cumberland Gap, the pass through the mountain that leads into the town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.To the south of the town, one can see a road leading to the tunnel that cuts through the mountain. Not far to south of the tunnel, one observes Harrogate, Tennesee and Lincoln Memorial University. Founded in the 1890s, the University is dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. East of Harrogate, continues into Tennessee and finally at the far left is Virginia. On clear days you may see the mountains of Tennessee, including Powell, Clinch, and Bays. Sometimes you can see the far edges of the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina to the south east
While the Pinnacle has much history, many visitors come to see it today for its scenic views. Looking to the right or west, one will see the town of Middlesboro, Kentucky. Middlesboro lies in the center of a crater, created by meteor crashing into spot millions of years ago. If one follows the path to the left of Middlesboro, you will see the Cumberland Gap, the pass through the mountain that leads into the town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.To the south of the town, one can see a road leading to the tunnel that cuts through the mountain. Not far to south of the tunnel, one observes Harrogate, Tennesee and Lincoln Memorial University. Founded in the 1890s, the University is dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. East of Harrogate, continues into Tennessee and finally at the far left is Virginia. On clear days you may see the mountains of Tennessee, including Powell, Clinch, and Bays. Sometimes you can see the far edges of the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina to the south east